Chromium picolinate

Chromium and Longevity

Chromium is also considered a factor in longevity. This is due to its positive influence on the function of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - an important endogenous hormone of youth - as well as the protection of proteins from the glycolysis, in particular, the connective tissue. High level of insulin inhibits the action of DHEA produced by the body; resulting the organism of people "depending on the sweet", tends to accelerated aging. Considering that DHEA level decreases with age, older people should periodically supplement their diet with "biologically active" chromium, to support brain function, the activity of the immune system and muscle tone.

It is shown that chromium picolinate extends the life of experimental animals and retards the formation of glycolized proteins that cause aging. This means that the aging process is slowed down, and life expectancy can be increased.

Naturally, no one argues that what is true for rats, is 100% true for humans. However, a large amount of scientific evidence shows that chromium is really enhances insulin and reduces blood sugar levels, and experts believe that it promises us a long and vigorous life.

Chromium and body weight

People as biochemical individuals differs in their inherited tendency to accumulate fat. It is a fact. However, some theories extrapolate this fact, stating that any person is programmed to a certain level of healthy fat, and the body itself will always return to this level. This is some intellectual somersaults!

The amount of fat accumulated in a specific person is not determined by genes. Today we know that no amount of fat cells, or their size is not laid down genetically. Obesity is much more dependent on our lifestyle.

As follows from the principles of the physiological dynamics, the human body is not focused on some specific fat content, but only on its actual amount. Saving for a year or two a certain level of fat, the body adjusts all the fat cells, blood vessels, peripheral nerves, connective tissue, species and number of enzymes, the level of hormones for its maintenance. The body recognizes this level of fat ("fatpoint") as normal and will vigorously defend it.

If you have excess fat, then most likely, there is also insulin resistance, which may be caused by lack of chromium. One has only to drop the level of chromium - an unused glucose begins to transform into fat. Obesity, in fact, is cause and consequence of metabolic disturbances of insulin.

Your "fatpoint" is one of the parameters of your lifestyle which you are accustomed to. Therefore, to its change should begin with a review of your habits, including, of course, and nutrition with sufficient amount chromium and other trace elements. Chromium reduces sugar cravings, so you will better tolerate your diet.

Chromium also increases the overall muscle mass, and this causes an acceleration of the metabolism and burning excess fat. But you take a diet restricted in calories, chromium can help you prevent loss of muscle tissue. If you decide to do physical exercise to lose weight, then you also need chromium. Exercise causes an increased release of chromium from the body, which increases the need to fill its deficit. In addition, chromium helps burn calories during physical activity and facilitates the weight loss. Therefore, chromium picolinate necessarily included in modern medications for slimming.

Myth of Chromium Picolinate

Indeed, the whole idea of this article arose from the fact that for myself, I finally found confirmation that the rumors that chromium picolinate is a carcinogenic substance - are nothing more than a myth, originating from the bad faith of those who dissolve, and from the ignorance of those who relish.

Although this not really hurt me to live, but agree that if you credibly claim that chromium is carcinogenic substance, and confirm this by the quote from "Wikipedia", you can thinking about? Especially because for a layman the trivalent chromium, hexavalent chromium and chromium picolinate - are all from one mythology.

So, as mentioned in the article, toxic hexavalent chromium not found in nature, but trivalent chromium is not toxic even at very high doses. As you know, picolinate is a compound of trivalent chromium. Let's try to find evidence to support the complete harmlessness of picolinate.

Walking along the trail, I found that much of the attacks caused the buzz around the company Nutrition 21, which was first released chromium picolinate as a commercial supplement. But since this product was primarily focused on weight loss, the competitors in this very popular area have focused the attention of some major UK government organizations to monitoring of food safety at the alleged danger of this supplement for health.

Well, of course, such issues are not solved quickly. Cleanse themselves from the mud is always difficult. So buzz around the subject lasted for several years. What was the result?

Having visited the site of Nutrition 21 (http://www.nutrition21.com), I found this document - http://www.nutrition21.com/Science/ResearchOverview.aspx ("Research Overview"). That's what it says (not literally):

In November 2004 the results of new studies of genotoxicity (published: Slesinski et al, 2005; Gudi et al, 2005) were presented to the Committee on Mutagenesis (COM), and COM subsequently concluded that these results prove lack of toxicity of chromium picolinate. In response to the findings COM (http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/Com/chromium.htm), FSA (Food Standards Agency) in late 2004, has revised its recommendations on the safety of supplements on the basis of chromium picolinate. In their report states:

"FSA believes that most people can get enough chromium from a healthy, balanced diet. For those people who want to supplement their diet with chromium, the maximum upper level recommended by the EVM (Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals), is 10 mg per day. There is no reason to avoid the use chromium picolinate."

Note that the content of chromium picolinate in dietary supplements is usually within 500 micrograms per tablet or capsule, that is, 20 times below the safe limit! But it is, so to speak, the message from the site of the person concerned. However, it has a link to the source - http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/Com/chromium.htm. This source was also available on the official COM website (Commitee of Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, UK). I quote here an excerpt from the summary:

"These studies on human volunteers and experimental studies on rats show that the absorption of chromium picolinate in the gastrointestinal tract is significantly higher than other forms of trivalent chromium.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Commission from October 2003, has been tested the ability of chromium picolinate to cause cell mutations in-vitro, in accordance with international standard, using commercial products of chromium. The reaction was negative in both S9-activated and not activated tests.

There have been three studies of mutagenicity of chromium picolinate in-vivo in rats and mice. In studies in which rats received oral doses up to 2000 mg/kg of body weight, is not obtained evidence of chromosomal damage. In the peripheral blood of 344 rats have been no reported increase in micronuclei after they have received up to 2500 mg/kg chromium picolinate within 3 days.

Conclusion:

1. In general, we can conclude that the results indicate that chromium picolinate should be regarded as not mutagenic in-vitro.

2. Results of mutagenicity tests of chromium picolinate in mammals are negative. In connection with the negative test results in-vitro on commercial products containing chromium picolinate, currently there is no reason for additional testing.

December 2004
COM/04/S3"

(end quote)

I believe that thinking people enough of this conclusion. But those who did not wish to think, let's flag in hand. They are no differences between dietary chromium, chrome bumper or chrome leather boots.

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This article is copyrighted by Alexander Yezovit. It cannot be reprinted without permission from Alexander Yezovit.